EXETER spy cameras have gone mobile, with two community patrol vans being fitted with state-of-the-art CCTVs.

The vans will operate throughout the city, seven days a week, 7am to midnight, and the cameras will be recording continuously while the vehicles are in use.

The cameras are designed to work well in low light conditions and the vans are clearly marked.

Patrollers have been trained to capture evidence that will be made available to the police and other agencies.

The community patrol vans will be able to produce quality images for evidence where prosecutions and other enforcement actions are necessary.

Of the 2,638 complaints dealt with by the patrollers last year, 54 per cent could have benefited from the supporting evidence provided by live incident recording.

The initiative has been supported by grants provided through Exeter Community Safety Partnership.

Exeter City Council sees CCTV in the city as a vital part of the fight against crime and anti-social behaviour.

Kevin Mitchell, lead councillor for community and environment, said, "The new van-mounted cameras will greatly assist the work of our community patrollers, who do a brilliant job in working with local neighbourhoods and responding to reports of anti-social behaviour from residents."

Noise is the number one complaint investigated by the patrollers.

In 2006-07, the council was dealing with six complaints a week but in the first quarter of this year, it was averaging 12.85.

Nearly a quarter of complaints come between midnight and 3am.